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From: Glenda M Stocks 
Subject: Fwd: Alert: Medicare Down, Medicaid To Go! (fwd)
Message-ID: 
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 1995 18:32:29 +0059 (EDT)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 1995 16:00:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: FREDFAY@delphi.com
Subject: Alert: Medicare Down, Medicaid To Go!
To: justice@TNET.com

                            Justice For All

                            beckyo@nmes.org

Advocates Be Prepared

As previously mentioned on JFA, we suffered a significant loss
yesterday with the passage of the House Medicare Transformation Act.
To the 4.2 million disabled individuals under the age of sixty five
currently enrolled in Medicare, we extend our condolences and we
commit to the continued fight to overturn this damaging legislation.
Everyone must continue this fight.

Beginning the week of October 23rd, the House will take up debate on
their entire budget reconciliation package, which includes Medicaid,
SSI and other related programs for people with disabilities.

The impact of the GOP proposed SSI reforms on Americans with
disabilities is immoral, irresponsible and unjust.  The GOP reverses
the "Zebley" standards and eliminates the individual functional
assessment for children.  The House bill would eliminate cash SSI
benefits for approximately 600,000 children (over the next 5 yrs.)
with an estimated reduction in Federal SSI payments. The Senate bill
would deny cash benefits to approximately 250,000 children, with an
estimated reduction in Federal SSI payments of $1.7 billion (over 5
yrs.).

The impact of the GOP Medicaid "Reform" proposal will harm children
and adults with disabilities and their families.  The proposals
reported out of the House and Senate Finance Committees make harmful,
fundamental changes to the current Medicaid program----a program which
now is the largest source of federal and state funding for services
and supports for individuals with disabilities. The specific concerns
that the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Health Task Force
has raised and continues to raise with Congress are while the Senate
proposal maintains a guarantee of health care coverage for low income
individuals with disabilities, the House proposal completely
ELIMINATES the current individual entitlement status of Medicaid for
people with disabilities.  The Senate proposal also allows states the
discretion to determine the definition of disability, which is
particularly othersome and raises grave concerns. Neither the House or
Senate proposal would require states to provide any SPECIFIC services,
except for childhood immunizations. While both proposals include state
level "set-asides" for certain vulnerable populations, i.e., families
with pregnant women and children, elderly individuals, and low-income
people with disabilities under age 65, the proposed funding formula
for these set-asides would mean that states could not continue to
provide the full range of services and supports that they now provide
for children and adults with disabilities.  States would be permitted
the latitude within these broad categories of determining what
services and to whom they would be provided.  The formula does not
take into consideration spending on optional services (what the state
now chooses to provide, i.e. wheelchairs, home and community based
services, speech and hearing services, physical therapy, psychological
services, occupational services, clinic services, prescription drugs,
dental, eyeglasses, prosthetic devices, rehabilitative services, ICF-
MR, personal care services, respiratory care services, and case
management.

For people with disabilities, this is a MAJOR AND DESTRUCTIVE BLOW!!!

In addition to the loss of the personal entitlement to specific
required critical services and the weak funding formula, both the
House and Senate proposals weaken consumer and quality assurance
protections and federal oversight in Medicaid services or Medicaid
funded facilities.

The disability community should send the message to Congress that we
support efforts to reduce the federal deficit, but we strongly feel
and believe that it is immoral and unconscionable for this Congress to
be taking the most money out of programs of significant importance
(Medicaid, SSI, housing, social services, jobs, and education) to
children and adults with disabilities in order to balance the federal
budget. DON'T BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.  SOME CUTS NEVER HEAL!!!

Many rallis, vigils and other activities have occurred over the past
weeks that focused on Medicare and Medicaid, but Medicaid generally
was a throw-in. The disability community in Washington has joined in
with multiple other groups to hold a rally that will solely focus on
Medicaid. The first, but definitely not the last.

The rally will commence on Tuesday, October 24th at 10:00 am in front
of the U.S. Capitol.  We are urging individuals coming to participate
to wear black.  This will symbolize and convey to Congress that what
they're proposing to legislate is a moral indignation and we mourn the
loss of morality and justice for all in our once great nation.

It is our intention to have Medicaid recipients deliver their personal
messages to Congress and the media. Our theme for this rally is: SOME
CUTS NEVER HEAL---SAVE MEDICAID, IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH!!!

Senators Kennedy and Dodd are planning a forum on children and
Medicaid on the same day, hopefully later in the afternoon.  We are
encouraging those who participate in the above rally to stay and join
these Senators in their attempt to bring attention to our battle.

On Thursday, October 26th, JFA is participating in a rally to protest
the unfair impact of all budget cuts on people with disabilities.  We
will be targeting our efforts at the 24 Republican governors who
signed the letter to Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole demanding that
there be no Medicaid entitlements.  Our plan is to have people with
disabilities hand deliver an urgent letter and await a reply from
each.

This task is no easy endeavor, so if anyone out there wishes to
participate, and we strongly urge and beg your participation, please
contact Becky through e-mail:beckyo@names.org or call, 703-836-6263.

The following quote should inspire all to join in the efforts to SAVE
MEDICAID: Governor Leavitt (UTAH) stated in a meeting with the Dept.
of Human Services and Division of Services to People with
Disabilities, "we should not give Medicaid to all these people on
crutches."

---SnetMgr 0.60 [r0001]
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